The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-27

lars, was naturally indignant, and In the
absence of his pistol hel Knocked the
thoughtful barkeeper lowp with beer
glass. Then the figh commenced be.
tween the proprietor and his men and
Bill and the gang" and the battle ragged
and surged from the bar room to the kit
chen, and from the kirhen to the street.
each new conner lending hand or stone
Finally the town mashal, came rushing
into the crowd, and Knocked the Draw.
lers with his club right and left and un.
fortunately Bill among the rest. The
latter sneaked quietly across the street,
came back with shot gun, poured the
contents of both barrels into the back of
the lighting marshal and killed him on
the spot. This was the climax. The
brawl ceased as suddenly a. it had arisen
the fighters skunk bsck from Bill in
disgust, and even he tuszed his bloodshot
eyes anxiously down at the now quiet
marshal. Then he placed the gun in a
corner, and some one whispered Cit"
and he walked out into the street and
after moments pause skunk rapidly
away under the shadows of the honses
and the trees.
lie had not walked dozen squares be-
fore ne perceived that there was something
the matter with either the people or the
town. Men ran ahead Of him, Others fol-
lowed and dogged his footsteps, and
doors were banged as he passed. Hark
the tlre bell was ringing, and the whistle
OF the terryboat awoke the echoes on the
river The stream of lights in the dis.
tance was not made up of fire flies, but of
men and boys carrying lanterns, and
armed with clubs and shotguns. He
tried several doors en- the way, well
known places of refuge, but they were
closed, and no. CLINT of light from the
windows.
Then came the tramp, tramp Of march
ing men, and in darting around the cor
ner he found himself instantly surrounded
with mob, who ordered him brutally to
stand and hold up his hands! Bill
smiled as he recognized the voice, and
lazily complied with the order; then he
scanned the crowd eagerly, but they were
masked, and the only plain unmistakable
thing was the revolver, which cleaned at
him from all directions. The leader, in
his red shirt, slouched hat, pantaloons
stuffed in his boots, and under his arm a
long, black barreled rifle, stood ewing him
in silence.
Hello, Long .Jim," said Bill, animated
with sudden CLEAN Of hope, you'll
give a fellow chance for his life, won't
you, JIM"
"What I" replied the leader, contemp.
tuously. 81 don't know yer. This aim,
no rabbit hunting party-this is Judge
Lynch There has been killing enough
in this town-there'll be another, and
then the things will stop. Fold your
arms-right about face march! !"
Yes this was Judge pn"h-conrt
jury and exDcutionCF, all in one.
When the itinerant court passed my
door | was smoking an evening cigar
and having heard the alarm bell was
searching the horizon for the sign of the
fire, which nowhere could be seen. The
moon was out, and but for the flying pro
cession of clouds that continually scud
ded in front, the town of x was fairly Ii,
up with the white, silent light. was
still wondering if the clouds meant rain
or snow, when the odd and fastastc judi
cial procession marched silently by. NJ
funeral party was graver, made less noise
or marched with more decorum. There
was only one exception to the genera
good behaviour, and that was the impres
sion of the bystanders. Every locker OF
was Immediately pressed" into thu
crowd. Not one was allowed to look ant
depart, but he was forced to assist in thu
ceremony. | was in the doorway when &
fellow, hideously draped and disguised
laid hold upon me, and pointing with hi
revolver to the mob, told me to "fall in. ,
Why, certainly" and l marched will
the rest.
AS there was very little talking ther'
was abundant opportunity for reflection
and yet probably the only one who wal
doing any systematic thinking was the
victim Bill, as he turned his head from
right to left, vainly searching for some
sign of succor
For myself, | no sooner guessed th'
object-or rather purpose-of the judi
cial train than my curiosity overrode ant
sienced all legal scruples to the enter
prise. Besides, consoled myself with
the thought that a. all our great jurist'
and statesmen had found no higher source
of authority than the people, and that
everything came from and was for tn,
benefit of the people, surely an i'm
promptu tribunal of the people like judge
Lynch was beyond impeachment. Or
we went, from street to street and pike
to pike, the crowd constantly gaining ir
size and the hope of a rescue consequently
diminishing. AS the eager people out
hanked Bill on either side, he could no.
help noticing the difference between the
sullen and scornful glance of these men'i
eyes and the pleasant, watery eyed, benev
oent looks of his friends, the late jury
no tears, no smiles over the pathos OF
humor of counsel here; only anger, dark
and vicious as the ocean at night
/. Once or twice Bill would sidle up to
the tall, gaunt leadar, and whisper, as he
tried to catch his eye, sobbing appeal
for chance" "Give fellow chance
for his life, won't your" This was the
constant and the only appeal, and the re-
ply was equally short and determined
"Shut up!" and "Do your praying and
make it brief!"
We passed the house of Judge Beans
but the please everybody face of Justict
Wiggle-waggle, as he was called, was no
TO be seen. This was not court of law
but a rough and tumble arena of Justice
We had been marching for an hour wheI
the leader suddenly turned from the pix,
and we entered a strip of woods, whicl
divided x from its agricultural back
ground. 1t was delightful remnant o